Tuesday, October 15

The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit by Octavia Spencer

When Randi Rhodes moves from adventurous New York City to Deer Creek, she doesn’t expect to stumble across any mysteries worthy of her ninja detective skills. Yet it isn’t long before Deer Creek’s Time Capsule goes missing at a crucial point that could mean a terrible loss for the town if it isn’t recovered in time.

Determined to solve the case, Randi leaps into action with the aide of her new friend, D.C., to discover the perpetrator and bring them to justice. There’s something hidden in the history of Deer Creek and Randi won’t stop until she finds out just what it is.

Randi Rhodes is a head-strong protagonist who can be stubborn to a fault. She can also be very considerate, especially when it comes to her new friend D.C. She makes for a likeable character that you can really root for and want to continue reading about.

I liked that there was a dynamic cast of characters. Randi and D.C. are particularly compelling and come across as likeable and realistic. They aren’t without their troubles or conflicts but they are also passionate about their interests – such as martial arts and detective work – which is the magnetism that brings their friendship together. Pudge, an allusive character that always showed up when Randi was investigating, instilled a definite curiousity.

The relationship between Randi and her father was an interesting one. I liked that there was juxtaposition between how he could infuriate her and yet how he also inspired her. It made for a conflicting dynamic between the two of them.

The novel was well-paced and there was never a lull. Randi may think the town is dull at first but the fact that I rarely put this book down was enough to prove her wrong. The mystery of the capsule was intriguing and not one that was simple for me to figure out. There was a great balance of plot and character development.

I liked the ninja tasks included in the appendix. I particularly found the one about plastering a footprint very interesting. It added an extra layer to the novel and made Randi’s antics all the more plausible to the reader.

Randi Rhodes is the real deal. She is inquisitive, intuitive and driven. I look forward to reading more about her, D.C. and Pudge in future and would be quick to recommend it to anyone seeking a children’s novel with great character and mystery.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer received this book at Book Expo America. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Simon & Schuster and is used solely as an aide to the review.